Call to make Valley Gardens colonnade safer after horror fall

A grandmother has called on Harrogate Borough Council to fix uneven paving slabs in Valley Gardens after she fell and suffered a broken arm, busted lip and bruising to her face.

Jane Blayney, who is a former chair of Friends of Valley Gardens and a former district and county councillor, tripped two weeks ago at the entrance of the Sun Colonnade by Cornwall Road.

Ms Blaney lives nearby and was in shock after the incident but a neighbour, who is a doctor at Leeds General Infirmary, took her to Harrogate District Hospital’s emergency department.

She is concerned that many of the elderly residents who live around Valley Gardens may trip and suffer even more serious injuries than she did.

She said:

“I looked like I’d been in a boxing match with Muhammad Ali.

“A lot of older people like me walk in Valley Gardens. For some of them it could have been much worse.”

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Ms Blayney reported the fall to the council, which has put cones and tape around some of the slabs but Ms Blayney thinks they are insufficient. She had hoped it would have done more to make the entrance safe.

With an artisan Christmas market taking place in Valley Gardens this weekend, Ms Blaney wants to see the council fix the slabs to make sure nobody else trips.

The Stray Ferret saw several uneven paving stones up and down the Sun Colonnade when we visited the site today.

Uneven paving slabs at the Sun Colonnade

Ms Blayney added:

“I want safety and I don’t want it to happen to anyone else.”

A council spokesman said:

“We’re sorry to hear Mrs Blayney had a fall in Valley Gardens and we wish her a speedy recovery.

“We plan on repairing the path in the new year when suitable replacement materials become available. Until this time, we have placed cones to warn people to avoid this section.

“We have a programme of works to improve the Sun Colonnades in Valley Gardens, which includes new lighting and steam cleaning the paving. We have also surveyed the whole area and, if required, will be undertaking further works to repair the path.

“Anyone who spots any uneven paving in our parks should get in touch with us so we can carry out any repair work.”